Smith meets Afghan, Italian officials

AS security transition in Afghanistan approaches, Defence Minister Stephen Smith has held talks on the move to Afghan security control with visiting Afghan and Italian officials.

Mr Smith met the chairman of the Afghan government's Transition Coordination Commission, Ashraf Ghani, who is visiting Australia to participate in an International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance Democracy Forum in Canberra.

"We discussed progress in the transition to Afghan-led security responsibility in Afghanistan and Uruzgan Province by the end of 2014," Mr Smith said in a statement.

Mr Smith last met Dr Ghani during a visit to Kabul in April last year.

He said he also met Italian Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Staffan de Mistura who is visiting Australia as part of an infrastructure delegation at the invitation of Transport and Infrastructure Minster Anthony Albanese.